Title: Swimming with Humpbacks
Presenter: Rebecca Johns
Date: 9th December 2018
Just off the coast of Exmouth, the Ningaloo Reef is one of a handful of places you can go swimming with humpback whales.
- The tour kicks off from the Exmouth Marina, before stopping off for a light snorkel at Lighthouse Bay to get used to the gear.
- The tour goes along the North West Cape, where each year thousands of humpback whales migrate. From June the Whales travel north along the WA coast towards their tropical calving grounds in the Kimberly, before returning south along the coast to their feeding grounds between September and November.
- In 2016, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions started a new trial, which has allowed this tour to be offered in the region.
- Once a whale has been spotted and confirmed to be safe, the all clear to go in the water is given. Humpback whales are naturally curious animals, which leads to them often come in close to the swimmers.
- The sheer size of the whales is mesmerising, with mothers reaching around 12 metres and calves around 6 metres. Their diet consists mostly of krill and small fish, so you don’t have to worry about being on the menu.
- The tour can last for around 7 hours, and will be guaranteed to be a moment that you’ll never to forget.
www.whalesharkdive.com
www.australiascoralcoast.com
www.westernaustralia.com